Glazes are one of my favourite tools in acrylic mixed media. A glaze is a thin, transparent layer of acrylic paint or medium that allows what’s underneath to shine through. When used thoughtfully, glazes can create atmosphere, unify colours, and bring a sense of light that feels almost magical, like sunlight drifting through the trees.
Here are 5 simple but powerful ways to use transparent glazes in your mixed media projects.
1. Create Atmosphere with a Soft White Veil
A thin layer of titanium white mixed with an acrylic medium can soften sharp details and mimic the hazy glow of morning light. Keep the glaze ultra-thin and apply with a wide, soft brush.
2. Warm Golden Light with Yellow or Ochre
A glaze of transparent yellow or light ochre instantly adds warmth, like the sun breaking through the canopy. This works beautifully over foliage or forest floor textures to give your painting a golden-hour glow.
Tip: Layer multiple thin glazes rather than one heavy coat for a luminous effect.
3. Cool Misty Mornings with Blue-Grey
For a sense of distance, depth, or mist, mix a touch of ultramarine or Payne’s grey into your acrylic medium. Applied thinly, this glaze cools the scene and pushes areas back into space.
Tip: Use sparingly — too much blue can dull the vibrancy of your greens and earth tones.
4. Build Depth with Layered Glazes
One glaze is nice, but several subtle layers can create incredible depth. Try alternating warm and cool tones — for example, a warm ochre glaze followed by a cool blue — to give the illusion of light shifting in space.
Tip: Let each layer dry completely before adding the next, or the colours may muddy.
5. Unify Your Painting with a Final Glaze
When your piece feels a little disjointed, a transparent glaze can bring it all together. Choose a neutral colour — like raw umber or soft grey — and apply a sheer layer across the whole surface. This quiets competing areas and helps the painting read as one harmonious image.
Tip: Test on a corner or scrap panel first — a unifying glaze can shift the entire mood.
Glazing is all about subtlety. Each layer is almost invisible on its own, but together they create atmosphere that’s hard to achieve any other way. Whether you want soft light, glowing warmth, or misty depth, transparent glazes are a beautiful way to bring emotion into your art.
This approach is part of my Mixed Media Trillium Forest Project inside the Authentic Muse Membership, where we combine photo transfer, watercolour pencils, and transparent glazes to create luminous, layered artworks. I’d love for you to join me there and explore the full process.
👉 Learn more about the Membership Here
